The Role of Bacteria in the Industrial Wastewater Treatment Process In general, an area that is largely misunderstood in industrial wastewater treatment is the role played by bacteria, both indigenous and applied via bioaugmentation. With few exceptions, most industrial wastewater treatment of organic compounds is intended to take advantage of the natural processes of wastewater treatment bacteria. Bacteria may be aerobic, anaerobic or facultative anaerobes. Aerobic bacteria require oxygen to perform their metabolic functions and reproduce. Anaerobes cannot live and reproduce in the presence of oxygen. Facultative bacteria have the ability to live either in the presence or absence of oxygen. For the purposes of our discussion, we’ll talk about aerobic bacteria and discouraging or controlling the anaerobes. In the typical industrial wastewater treatment facility, air is added to improve the metabolism and functioning of the aerobic bacteria. This addition of air is also done to enhance the aerobes at the expense of the anaerobes. A number of factors are controlled at an industrial wastewater treatment plant. All of them with the idea of improving the environmental conditions for the native bacteria. Conditions that are sometimes controlled are: Settling pH Temperature Agitation Aeration Introduction to Bacteria Bacteria may be classified in a number of ways like size, shape, genus,...

Wastewater Treatment Technology Custom Biologicals Custom Biologicals use bioaugmentation, sometimes called wastewater bioremediation, to treat a wide variety of wastewater problems. Bioaugmentation is a wastewater treatment technology that uses the addition of specifically selected microorganisms, or microbes, to treat wastewater. The use of bioaugmentation at wastewater plants is designed to treat a variety of wastewater problems such as: Wastewater Odor including hydrogen sulfide (H2S) odor FOG (fats, oils, and grease) problems High COD, BOD, TSS, or sludge Petrochemicals and hydrocarbons Fiber – pulp and paper wastewater Custom Biologicals main wastewater treatment product is F-TREAT. F-TREAT contains billions of specifically selected, wastewater treatment bacteria. These bacteria have been selected for their safety and their enhanced ability to metabolize the organic compounds typically found in wastewater streams. Additionally, Custom Biologicals has the ability to “customize” F-TREAT for a particular application. If you have a wastewater problem that others have tried and failed, Call Custom. We can customize a wastewater solution for you. F-TREAT is a wastewater treatment technology used in a wide variety of situations including: Industrial wastewater Food Processing wastewater Pulp and Paper Wastewater Municipal Sewage systems Lift Stations Petrochemical Refineries Custom Biologicals manufactures and distributes the following wastewater treatment products. F-TREAT – wastewater treatment bacteria. F-TREAT is a liquid concentrate...

Announcing the Diesel Spill Kit Announcing the Diesel Spill Kit – by Custom Biologicals. Sometimes diesel spills happen and booms, absorbents, and physical cleanup isn’t enough. You know there is still diesel there – what can you do? This is exactly the situation that the diesel spill kit is designed for. The small spill kit contains Custom HC, bioremediation bacteria. Custom HC contains all natural, safe, bioremediation bacteria. These bacteria, sometimes called microbes, have been specifically selected based on their safety and on their enhanced ability to metabolize (eat) petroleum products such a oil, diesel, and gasoline. The Diesel Spill Kit is all you need to clean up your small spill. Buy the Small Spill Kit Here. Enough Custom HC to treat 5 cubic meters or 25 square meters. Price: $99.00 Quantity: Custom HC™ is a concentrated blend of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria. Custom HC™ is in stock, ready to ship overnight to you now. CustomBio Diesel Spill Kit includes the nutrients you need to make the bacteria effective. Have an urgent request and need help NOW? Call (561) 797-3008 or Bill@Custombio.biz. Discounts are available for larger spills and dealer/distributor requests are welcome. Know the Law: The legal requirements for reporting, cleaning and documenting oil, gas and diesel spills is different in each...

Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) and Bacteria It is well known that wastewater and sewage has a very high potential to produce nasty odors such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S, ammonia, indoles, skatoles and mercaptans. Of these hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is arguably the most import mainly due to toxicity, its ability to corrode materials, and it is the major source of odor problems at wastewater treatment facilities, manholes, and lift stations. The conditions leading to hydrogen sulfide formation favor the production of other odiferous organic compounds. So solving an H2S odor problem can often solve other wastewater odor problems as well. Sources of Hydrogen Sulfide in Wastewater Sulfur is present in both human and livestock solid wastes and sulfates are found in most water supplies. Almost all wastewater has a sufficient amount of sulfur for both anaerobic bacteria and facultative bacteria to produce hydrogen sulfide. Generally, these bacteria produce H2S as a byproduct of their metabolism. By a process called anaerobic respiration, anaerobic bacteria oxidize organic compounds while reducing sulfate (SO4) to hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Interestingly, sulfate reducing bacteria are considered one of the oldest forms of life on earth. They are some 3.5 billion years old. Hydrogen Sulfide Production Rate The rate that anaerobic bacteria produce...

Why Aeration Alone Won’t Make My Lagoon Odor Go Way? Here’s the situation. You have just purchased, or recommended, the company purchase, an expensive aeration system to take care of your lagoon odor problems. After all, the salesman said it would work. He explained that aerobic bacteria don’t create those nasty H2S odors, anaerobic bacteria do. So by simply adding aeration, you’ll change the environment in the lagoon. And Presto – Rotten Egg Odor Gone. No more neighbors complaining about lagoon odor. So you spend the money, install the aeration system and turn it on. Unfortunately, the odor problem doesn’t go away. IT GETS WORSE! An Overwhelming stench of hydrogen sulfide fills the air and your nostrils. The installer says not to worry, it will get better over time. So what just happened? Why didn’t the lagoon odor go away with aeration? First, we’ll need to talk about the microenvironmental situation in the lagoon. In a typical wastewater lagoon, the wastewater stratifies. In other words, some of the water floats and some sinks. Because of this, only the top layer of the wastewater lagoon receives oxygen. As a consequence, obligate anaerobes ( bacteria that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen) proliferate in the lagoon. Obligate anaerobes (bacteria that...

Bioremediation of Produced Water – Frequently Asked Questions. What are the general characteristics of produced water? Produced waters that are formed from gas production tend to have high concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons, specifically the BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and xylene) compounds. Produced water also contains the chemicals used for gas processing such as; sulfide removal chemicals, dehydration chemicals, hydrogen sulfide reducing chemicals, and chemicals that inhibit hydrates. Produced water contains free product hydrocarbons, and a number of dissolved and dispersed compounds. Generally, produced water is placed into a holding pond. What is bioremediation of produced water? Bioremediation of produced water is the use of bacteria to metabolize the hydrocarbons and other petroleum compounds associated with produced water. What are the major problems associated with produced water? Generally, produced water is first treated to remove as much free product hydrocarbons as possible. While the goal is to reduce TRPH to below 100ppm, most treated produced water contains 300-400 ppm TRPH. Additionally, produced water contains saturation concentrations for any hydrocarbons present. These hydrocarbons can’t be removed by physical methods. Treating these remaining hydrocarbons is the major problem with produced water. Also, as the produced water begins to evaporate, a number of problems develop. The hydrocarbons in the produced water begin to...